Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-29
! A Description of the Battle ON Lake
Fife by the Surgeon Of the
Fleet.
The Awful Carnage on Board the Flag
ship Lawrence The COmmO-
dOre's Bravery.
Burying the Dead Officers.

Providence, Il. l., surgeon of the flagship
Lawrence at the time of the battle. and
given by him at the great celebration of
Perrys victory, at Putin Bay, Sept. 10,
when the corner stone for monument
was laid on Gibraltar island.
Forty -five years ago we were here as
spectators and participators In the battle,
and now, in advanced years, are invited
to join vast number of patriotic c1t1-
zens gathered from the beautiful and
fourishing cities bordering the lakes to
celebrate the victory then gained by our
souadror. That victory derives
a general interest from the fact that 1t
was the first encounter of our infant navy
in fleet or squadron. In combats with
single ships we had humbled the pride of
Great Britain. The Guerrero, Java and
Macedonia had surrendered to our stars and
stripes. But here, on yonder waves, that
nation was taught the unexpected lesson
that we could conquer them in squadron.
But this battle derives particular inter
est from it's bearing on the war of 1872.
and from the relief it brought to your
snores-in resting the tomahawk and
scalpiRg- knife from savage hands; shield
ing a frontier OF three hundred miles
from the assaults and confagration of
combined British and savage foe; opening
the gates of Maiden to Gen. Harrison's
army that enabled it TO pursue and cap
ture the only army that was aptured dur
ing the war, and in restoring tou5 Detroit
and the free navigation of the upper
lakes.
~ shall not detain you with history of
the construction and equipment of the
squadron and of the many difficulties en-
countered, but commence with our arrival
here twenty-five days before the action,
and our cruising in that time between
Maiden and Sand1sky, and receiving
near the latter place, visit from Gen.
Harrison and suite, preparatory to an at
tack on Maiden.
early in the morning of the 10th of
September, 1913, while we lay at anchor
IN the bay, cry came from the mast
head: 'Sail, ho!" All hands leaped from
their berths, and in few minutes the cry
was repeated until six sails were annOunc-
ed. Signal was made to the squadron:
Enemy in sight! get under way? and
soon the hoarse sound of trumpets and
shrill pipe of the boatswains resounded
throughout our squadron with: 'All
hands up, anchor ahoyp In passing out
of this bay it was desirable to go to the
IA eyf yonder islet, but on being notified
b eqiling Master Tyler that adverse
w would prevent, the commodore re
pliS.. Go then, sir, to the right, for to-
day / am determined to meet and fight
my enemy
carrying "a guns and 400 men, and six
British vessels carrying 60 guns and 81
men. At the head CT our line were the
Scorpion, Capt. Champlin, and Ariel,
Lieut., Packet. Next the flagship Law
renee, of 20 guns, to engage the flagship
Detroit; the Caledonia to fight the Hun
ter; the Niagara, of 20 guns, to engage
the Queen Charlotte; and lastly three
small vessels to fight the Lady Provost,
of Ii guns, and Little Belt, of 3 guns.
Our fleet moved on to attack the enemy,
distant, at 10 O'Clock, about five miles.
The commodore now produced the burgee
or fighting flag, hitherto concealed In the
ship. It was inscribed with large white
letters on blue ground, legible through
out the squadron-'Don't give up the
shipr the last words of the expiring Law
renee, and now to be hoisted at the
masthead of the vessel bearing his name.
A spirited appeal was made to the crew,
and up went the flag TO the fore royal,
amid hearty cheers repeated throughout
the squadron-and the drums and flies
struck up the thrilling sOunds-all hands
to quarters. The matches or passageway
to the deck were now closed, excepting a
small aperture ten inches square, through
which light was admitted into the sur
geon's room for receiving the wounded,
the floor of which was on a level with the
surface of the lake, and exposing them
to cannon-balls as much as if they were on
deck.
"Every preparation being made, and
every man at his station, profound
silence reigned for more than an hour,
THE MOST TRYING PART OF THE SCENE.
1t was like the stiffness that precedes the
hurricane. The fleet moved on steadily
till quarter before II, when the awful
suspense was relieved by shot aimed at
us from the Detroit, about one mile dis
tant. Perry made more sail, and, coming
within canister distance, opened rapid,
and destructive fire upon the Detroit.
The Caledonia, Capt. Turner, followed
the Lawrence in gallant style, and the
Ariel, Lieut.. Packet, and the Scorpion,
Mr.. Champlin, fought nobly and effec-
lively.
''The Niagara failing to grapple with
the Queen, the latter vessel shot ahead to
fire upon the Lawrence, and with the
ID etroit aimed their broadsides entirely
upon her. At last they made her com
plete wreck, but, fortunately, the com
mooore escaped without injury, and,
stepping into boat with his fighting
flag thrown over his shoulder, he pushed
off for the Niagara amid shower of can
non and musket balls, and reached that
vessel unscathed. He found herssa fresh
vessel, with only two, or at most three,
persons injured, and immediately sent
their commander to hasten up the small
vessels. Perry boarded the Niagara when
she was abreast of the Lawrence, and
further from her than tie Detroit was
on her right. The Lawrence now drop
ped astern and hauled down her flag.
Perry turned the Niagara's course toward
the enemy, and crossing the bows of the
Lawrence, bore down headforemost to
the enemy's line, determined to break
through it and take rakiDg position The
Detroit attempted to turn so as to keep
her broadside to the Niagara. and avoid
being raked, but in doing this she fell
against the Queen and got entangled in
her rigging, which left the enemy no